A New Chance
by Yaruhi
Summary: A life of slavery, poverty and abuse is all that Neji Shika Gaara Sasuke & Naruto have ever known, but what will happen when five princesses rescue them from that lifestyle. Sorry I'm not that great at summaries NejiTen ShikaIno SasuSaku NaruHina GaaraxOC
1. Slaves

The door to the cell creaked open and five boys were flung inside. A few of the prisoners (Those who were new to the dungeon) raised their' heads to look at the boys. The rest didn't even stir. They were accustomed to the horrors of the place in which they were forced to live.

Bleeding and in pain, the five boys dragged them' selves to the corner of the cell. The whip marks and jagged scars that crisscrossed their' backs and torsos were cruel reminders of the tortures they had gone through and the agonies they had suffered.

The eldest of the boys was a tall, well-built boy of seventeen. He had unusual, whitish eyes and long, black hair tied in the back; a bandage obscured his forehead. He was known as Neji.

The second eldest was a tall boy of seventeen, with dark hair tied up into a high ponytail and dark, tired looking eyes. He was called Shikamaru.

The third eldest was a boy with bright red hair named Gaara. Dark rings surrounded his' icy, blue eyes as though he were an insomniac or something. He had the kanji for the word love inscribed on his' forehead and was sixteen.

The fourth of the group was a well-built boy with spiky, bluish-black hair and intense, onyx eyes. His' name was Sasuke and he was sixteen.

The youngest the five, was a blond boy with bright, cerulean eyes. He fidgeted restlessly and appeared to be the most energetic of the five boys. His' name was Naruto and he was also sixteen.

The five boys, dressed in ragged tunics and shorts, crouched miserably in the far corner of the cell. Their' skins were littered with welts and bruises and fresh brand marks had been burnt into their' shoulders. Blood streamed from the lash marks that zigzagged their' backs, and both Naruto and Sasuke sported black eyes.

Sasuke gingerly touched his' eye and winced. He sighed and leaned back against the rough, stonewall, ignoring the pain in his' back.

It was one o'clock in the morning and the boys had just returned from a six-hour, torture session. These sessions generally involved whippings, getting beat up by the guards, brandings and other such torments.

They had exactly three hours before they had to get up and go to working the mines where they were forced to labor all day long, every day.

Neji, Shika, Gaara, Sasuke, Naruto, and all the other prisoners of the dungeon were slaves.

Neji, Gaara and Naruto had been slaves almost their' entire lives. Sasuke had become a slave at the age of five when his' older brother, Itachi had sold him. And Shikamaru had become a slave at the age of seven. He was the most knowledgeable of the five as he had been given three years of education before becoming a slave. He was also very smart by nature.

Despite the fact that the prisoners tended to keep to themselves, the five boys had eventually formed close bonds and thought of one another as brothers.

Shikamaru lay down saying, "Let's go to sleep. We've got to get up soon enough as it is."

The others quickly followed suit, lying down and shutting their' eyes, in and attempt to get a couple hours of rest before they were forced to arise and face the harsh cruelties of reality once again.

* * *

Tenten pounded on the door of her' sister's room. "Come on Ino! We've got to leave in two minutes, seventeen seconds flat!"

"I'll be out in a minute!" A shrill voice from within called.

Tenten rolled her' eyes and turned her' the three sisters who stood in the hallway next to her.

Hinata, a slender, petite girl with chin length, raven colored hair and lavender, giggled shyly. Sakura, a slim girl with strange pink hair and jade green eyes sighed in annoyance. And Azami, a slender, graceful girl with emerald eyes and sleek, glossy, golden locks, rolled her' eyes.

Tenten was a tall brunette with dark eyes and a good figure. Her' long hair was drawn up into twin buns.

Suddenly the door swung open and out rushed a breathless, girl with ash blond hair, pulled back into a long, flowing ponytail, sapphire blue eyes, and a trim figure. She was called Ino.

"Okay! I'm ready to go!" She gasped.

"Well it's about time sis!" Azami told her. "What the heck do you do in there that takes you so long?"

Ino rolled her eyes at her' sister's teasing. "Oh, cut it out Azami!" She snapped.

The other four just laughed and shook their' heads. "Come on, Father will be waiting for us." Tenten said.

The girls' father was Lord Nakamura Kaemon. He was the ruler of the castle and it's surrounding villages, and was a very powerful man.

As his' daughters, Tenten, Azami, Sakura, Ino and Hinata were princesses of extremely high rank.

The sisters were accompanying their' father on a visit to a neighboring village to see the magistrate who also happened to be a friend to Lord Kaemon.

The girls rushed down the stairs and out the doors to the waiting carriage.

* * *

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of a large mansion. It was not as large as the castle, but it was an impressive structure none-the-less.

The sisters piled out of the carriage and ascended the steps to the mansion's entrance.

* * *

After having lunch with the magistrate, Lord Kaemon told the girls that he had some confidential business to discuss with the magistrate and the girls left them to their' business.

"So what should we do now?" Sakura asked.

"Lets go explore!" Ino suggested.

Tenten and Azami grinned at one another. "Yeah! Let's go!"

The five girls made their' way down the village's main strip. At first everything was neat and orderly. The houses freshly painted and the gardens well kept. Children played games in the streets and villagers stood about chatting amiably.

The girls all purchased meat pies from a vendor. Hinata, Sakura and Ino ate theirs' immediately, while Tenten and Azami chose to save theirs' for later.

After a while the scenery began to change. The streets became narrow and filthy. The houses were in a state of disrepair. No women or children were seen in the streets, and life forms of any sort were scarce.

Here and there they would see a couple of men standing around. The sisters would smile politely and nod their' heads only to receive cold glares, and angry scowls in return.

"Such a friendly place!" Azami commented after one such episode.

After a while, they came to a tall, barbed wire fence. Without hesitation, Tenten began to climb the fence.

"Tenten! What are you doing?!" Ino exclaimed.

"She's obviously climbing the fence Ino." Azami informed her' sister. She stepped forward and began to scale the fence her' self.

"Come on Ino, Sakura, Hinata, hurry up!" Tenten urged her' sisters, as she dropped to the ground on the other side of the fence.

"But we'll tear our' clothes." Ino protested.

Azami dropped down next to Tenten. "We didn't tear ours."

"You two are wearing pants." Sakura reminded her. "The three of us are in dresses."

Tenten rolled her' eyes. "So what? Just climb over and be careful that you don't snag the hem of your' skirt on anything."

Hinata stepped forward and began to carefully climb the fence. "Come on girls." She said softly. "The sooner we do it, the sooner we'll be finished." (Hinata doesn't stutter around her' sisters.)

After several objections from Ino and a few grumbled complaints from Sakura, All five girls stood on the opposite side of the fence.

A large grove of trees was just ahead of them. They could hear noises coming from beyond them. They made their' way through the trees, toward where the noises originated.

Upon leaving the trees, the sisters found that they were standing at the edge of what appeared to be some sort of mining sight. But what surprised them was not the mine, but the sight of hundreds of men all chained together and being driven by men with clubs and whips!

Tenten, Azami, Sakura, Ino, Sakura and Hinata stared in dismay as they saw the slaves, young and old being forced to haul load after load of rocks from the mine. Ino and Hinata moved around watching the men who were hauled the boulders, while Tenten and Azami wandered over two a couple of large, stone buildings.

* * *

Hinata meandered about watching the slaves work; Sakura walked along not far behind. Her' gaze landed on a blond boy who was using a mallet to pound spikes into part of the mine. He was humming some random tune and missing the mark more often than he hit it.

Suddenly, much to Hinata's horror, a large man hit the boy over the head with a club, knocking him to the ground. The boy attempted to rise, but the man hit him again and again.

A boy with spiky, black hair dropped his' mallet and tried to shield the first boy from the torrent of blows, only to have the man land a blow on the side of his' head that sent him sprawling.

Hinata and Sakura gasped as the man beat them again and again.

Now Hinata was known for being sweet, shy, and quiet. But when she became angry her' bold side would come out. Well, seeing this man mercilessly beating the boys for no apparent reason made her angry- no, scratch that. It made her _furious_!

"**STOP!!" **She and shouted; Sakura echoed her.

The man wheeled about and took in the two enraged girls. By the clothing they wore he could tell that they were obviously of some wealth and importance.

"Yes Himes?" He inquired in a syrupy voice.

"How _**DARE**_ you!!" Hinata thundered. (See? I told you that she could be bold.) "Why are you hitting those boys?"

The man was taken aback by her' anger.

"Well?! What is your' excuse for beating these boys?" Sakura fairly shouted.

"Uuuuh…well, your' highnesses, I am a slave driver and it is my' job to see that these ragamuffins don't slack off." He shook the dark haired boy whom he was holding by back of the neck.

"Let him and the other boy go immediately!" Hinata growled in a threatening voice.

The man frowned but released the two boys who slowly and painfully got to their' feet. The blond boy had several bruises, and the dark haired boy had blood streaming down the side of his' face from the blow to his' head.

"That is the most outrageous excuse I have ever heard. Your' actions were nothing better than cruel mistreatment, abuse, and exploitation of your' authority!" Sakura snapped.

"Get out of hear! I intend to see to it that you receive proper punishment for your' actions." Hinata declared.

"Oh? And how exactly do you intend on going about that?" The slave driver sneered.

Sakura smirked. "Easy." She stated. "We will just take the problem to the _magistrate_!"

The man's jaw dropped, and his' eyes grew wide. "Y-you know the magistrate?!" He asked incredulously.

The girls nodded.

"My' apologies Himes! I-I did not know-"

"I'm sure you didn't." Hinata said coldly. "Now get out of here!"

The man bowed nervously and rushed away.

Hinata and Sakura watched him leave then turned back to the two young men who stood looking confused and uncertain as to what to do.

Hinata introduced her' self. "Hello, I'm Hinata."

"And I'm Sakura."

The young men bowed then stood stalk still, eyeing the girls warily.

Sakura noticed that the dark haired boy's head was still bleeding. "Oh, are you okay, that looks like it hurts." She took a step toward the boy.

The boy stepped back and regarded her' coldly.

Sakura halted in surprise. Hinata stepped up beside her and smiled at the apprehensive boys. "What is your' name?" She asked the blond boy.

"I'm Naruto." The boy told her. "This is Sasuke." He motioned to the dark haired boy.

"It's nice to meet you Naruto, Sasuke." Sakura and Hinata nodded politely to each of them.

"Um… how is your' head, Sasuke-san?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke watched her tensely. "It's fine." He replied tersely.

Sakura eyed the wound doubtfully. She had some experience with head wounds and this one didn't look so good. "I don't know…I think you should have that taken care of." She said.

"Right, by whom?" Naruto scoffed.

"You could use some medical care your' self." Hinata told him.

"Come on, we'll get you two fixed up." Sakura said.

The two boys looked at her as if she had gone insane. "We aren't allowed to leave our work." Naruto told her.

Hinata shook her' head. "Just common!"

The sisters turned and, not knowing what else to do, the two boys followed them.

At the gates the guards stopped them. "Hold it! Where do you four think you're going?" One of them asked.

"We are going to meet our' father in town, and to get Sasuke and Naruto some medical attention." Sakura replied calmly.

"Who are you? What makes you think you can just take these boys out of here?" The guard inquired.

"I am Hime Nakamura Hurano Sakura, and this is my' sister, Hime Nakamura Hyuga Hinata. We are two of the five daughters of Lord Nakamura Kaemon, ruler of the village of the Sun. We are here on a visit to the Magistrate of your' fine village." Sakura told him.

The guard looked nodded. "Well, you may leave, but I'm afraid that the slaves must remain here unless you have the permission of the slave master."

"What's going on here?" A deep voice from behind asked.

Everyone turned to see a tall, middle-aged man with curly black hair and a thick mustache. "My' name is Hidaka Jiro, I'm the supervisor here. What seems to be the problem?"

Hinata and Sakura explained that they wanted to get Medical attention for Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'm afraid that as long as they are the property of my' employer, they must remain here." Jiro told them.

Hinata and Sakura exchanged glances. "Very well then, I guess there's only one thing we can do." Hinata said.

Jiro nodded. "I'm terribly sorry Himes."

"Oh that's alright." Sakura told him. "How much?"

Jiro was confused. "How much what?" He asked.

"How much for Naurto and Sasuke?" Sakura asked innocently.

Sasuke's eyes widened and Naruto's jaw dropped.

Jiro stared at the girls in shock for a moment before saying, "wait, are you saying that you want to buy them?"

Sakura nodded and Hinata said. "Of course."

Jiro scratched his' head. "Well, They are worth 214040 yen each." (That's two thousand US dollars each.)

Hinata and Sakura nodded and pulled the said amounts from their' handbags.

Jiro's eyes almost popped out of his' head. "You carry that kind of money with you?" He asked incredulously.

Hinata and Sakura just smiled and left the mining sight with a stunned Naruto and Sasuke in tow.

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**So what did you think? **

**I just sort of wrote this one on a whim.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated. (No flames please.)**

**Yaruhi**


	2. Rescued part 1

Ino had paused to watch a group of young men who were hauling an exceptionally large boulder

She had stepped forward to see better when she lost her' footing. She fell forward and tumbled into one of the boys knocking him to the ground.

"Oh! I'm so, so sorry. Are you okay?" Ino asked the boy. He was tall and his' dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.

The boy looked at her' tiredly and nodded, but said nothing.

"I'm Ino. What is your' name?"

The boy mumbled something that Ino couldn't make out. "What? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"Shikamaru." The boy said, a little louder this time.

"Nice to meet you Shika-san!

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I tend to just give nicknames to everyone I meet. It's an old habit." Ino said. "Do you mind if I call you Shika?"

Shikamaru shook his head 'no'.

"Great." She flashed him a big smile.

"Hey!" A voice shouted. "Get back to you no good, worthless, heap of rags!"

Ino whirled to see a tall, heavy-set man holding a whip.

Shikamaru started and rushed to pick up the rope he had been pulling before Ino had knocked him down.

But the brute didn't let it go. He stomped up and, grabbing hold of Shikamaru's arm, swung the boy about to face him. "What do ya think yer doin?!" The man bellowed. "Do ya think that this is just some stupid tea party?"

Shikamaru shook his' head.

"Then what are ya doin talkin to some dame instead of doin yer' work?" The man shook him hard. "I think ya need a little discipline to give ya a sense of responsibility!"

Shikamaru tensed and braced him' self as the man raised his' whip.

Suddenly a high-pitched voice pierced the air and caused the man to pause. He turned to find the 'dame' standing there, her' hands on her' hips, her' face livid with rage. "_**LEAVE HIM ALONE!!**_" she shouted.

The man looked at her' in surprise. "Now why would I do a thing like that?" He asked.

"It was my' fault that he dropped the line." Ino told him. "I stumbled and ran into him, knocking him over."

The man shrugged. "So?"

"So you shouldn't be punishing _him_ for that." Ino persisted.

"We'll I can't punish you and someone has to be punished, so he gets the whipping." The man said.

Ino looked as though she wanted to murder him for that statement. "Why you…you…you big, fat, no good, brainless, dim witted, thick skulled, arrogant, pompous, moron!" She exclaimed. "If anyone should get a whipping it's you!"

Both the slave driver and Shikamaru stared at her in complete shock. The slave driver because he couldn't believe that she would insult him like that. And Shikamaru because he couldn't believe that anyone- but especially someone as rich as her would defend him.

"What is all this raucous about?"

Ino whirled to see a tall black haired man with a thick mustache standing behind her.

Jiro looked down at Ino. _Another girl? And one of high rank no doubt. I wonder if she is with those other girls who bought the two slave boys. _

"Konichi wa, I am Hidaka Jiro." He said. "Who might you be, miss?"

Ino squared her' shoulders and said, "I am Hime, Nakamura Yamanaka Ino, The daughter of Lord Nakamura Kaemon, ruler of the neighboring village. I am here with him to visit the magistrate of your' fine village."

Jiro raised an eyebrow. "How many daughters does Lord Nakamura Sama have?"

"Five." Ino replied.

Jiro nodded. "I see. So what can I do for you, Ino Hime?"

Ino pointed to the slave driver who still held Shikamaru by the arm. "I stumbled and crashed into Shikamaru-san, causing him to fall and let go of his' line." She gestured to the heavy rope that Shikamaru held in one hand and Jiro nodded for her to continue. "Well this man is trying to whip Shikamaru because he let go of the rope and it was all my' fault. And when I told him that, he said that someone had to get beaten, and since he couldn't beat me on account of my' being a princess, that Shikamaru would just have to take the beating instead." Ino huffed.

Jiro nodded to the slave driver. "Release the boy Renzo."

Renzo scowled but let go of Shikamaru's arm, and stalked of.

"My' apologies Hime." Jiro said. "I will be sure to keep an eye on Renzo in the future."

Ino cocked her' head in surprise. "You mean to say that you are not going to fire him?" She asked in disbelief.

Jiro was surprised at her' question. "Uh…well…no."

"But he was being abusive!" Ino protested.

"Well… yes, and I'm sorry about that, but…these things happen and-"

"These _things_ happen?" Ino repeated. "How often?"

Jiro was confused. "Excuse me?"

"How often are the people here abused?" Ino asked.

"Well…uuuuh…" Jiro wasn't really sure how to answer that. He was aware of the treatment of the slaves, and he was not proud of it. But he had been told many times that strict and abusive treatment was the only way to keep slaves in line, and it was his' boss's orders.

Ino nodded. "I see…" She said thoughtfully. She looked him in the eye. "Would you be willing to sell Shikamaru-san to me?"

Jiro was surprised. _Again?_ He thought. "Before you by anyone, I think you should know that your' sisters, Sakura Hime and Hinata Hime, each bought a slave from me not a half hour ago." He informed her.

Ino smirked. "Well, good for them!" She said. "Now back to Shikamaru; how much do you want for him?"

"214040 yen was the price I quoted your' sisters." Jiro told her.

Ino nodded and, to Shikamaru's shock, (And Jiro's amusement) she pulled the exact amount from her' purse and handed it to Jiro.

She nodded to Shikamaru saying, "Come on Shika-kun. We have to hurry if we are going to be able to return to the magistrate's home before supper."

Shikamaru was astonished and bewildered by what had just taken place, but he allowed Ino to grab his' hand and lead him out of the mining sight.

Jiro shook his' head and turned to one of the guards saying. "This has been some day. I'm going to take the rest of the day off. Tell my' assistant that I won't be back until morning."

The guard nodded and Jiro made his' way out of the mining sight.

* * *

Tenten and Azami entered the main building and wandered through several, dark, twisting halls for nearly an hour before loud voices attracted their' attention and drew them to the door of a room.

They peaked inside and saw several boys, ten to be exact, laughing and joking crudely with one another. Their' attention was on the door at the opposite end of the room from where the girls stood.

Suddenly the door was thrown open and two men entered dragging two boys inside. One of the boy's had long, dark hair and whitish eyes that reminded the girls of Hinata's. The other had unruly red hair, and slate blue eyes. Both boys had their' arms tied behind their' backs.

The men flung the two new boys down at the feet of the original ten then left through the door they had entered they had entered by.

A tall boy with sandy, brown hair, who appeared to be the leader of the ten, stepped forward and grabbed hold of the dark haired boy pulling, him up by the hair.

He smiled cruelly and said something that the girls could not make out. The other nine boys chuckled as they watched. Suddenly, the boy pulled back his' fist and punched the dark haired boy in the stomach. The dark haired boy dropped to the ground and, to the girls' horror, half of the boys began to kick the dark haired boy, as he lay, helpless, on the ground.

The other half proceeded to attack the red headed boy.

Tenten and Azami looked at one another and an unspoken agreement passed between them.

* * *

Neji gasped for air as yet another boy kicked him in the chest. _Crack!_ Neji felt one of his' ribs break.

_Crack! Crack!_

Two more kicks, two more broken ribs!

Neji choked as blood flowed into his' mouth. He spat the warm, sticky, metallic tasting liquid out onto the stone floor.

Another kick caught him in the side and Neji glimpsed yet another coming towards his head… But it never reached it's target for suddenly, the offending boy found him' self, flying threw the air. The boy crashed into the opposite wall with a loud _**bang!**_

Neji turned his' head as much as the pain in his' back allowed him to and caught sight of a girl standing in between him' self, and his' attackers. The girl had chocolate brown hair pulled up into twin buns. She brandished two kunai in her' hands and glared at the boys, daring them to come towards her.

* * *

Gaara fell to the floor as a fist collided with the side of his' head. He hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of his' lungs. A boy knelt on his' chest and began delivering punch after bunch to Gaara's face while several others boys held his' legs down.

Suddenly, The boy on top of Gaara went flying as a fist crashed into the side of his' head.

Gaara looked up to see a girl standing with her' back to him in what looked to him like some sort of a fighting stance. Her' golden hair cascaded freely down her' back and her' she had a dagger strapped to her' belt.

* * *

Tenten and Azami glared at the boys, challenging them to move.

The boy who had originally been the one to throw the first punch crossed his' arms over his' chest and spoke in a threatening voice. "Well, well, what have we here? If you ladies know what's good for you you'll stand aside now!"

A boy to the right spoke up. "Yeah! We've all had at least a year of Karate training. Monotaro here has had two years!" He gestured to the first boy.

Tenten and Azami exchanged knowing looks. They had both had the best training from the most revered masters since the day they were able to walk!

Tenten smirked at the boys and Azami declared, "Bring it on!"

There was a whirlwind of arms and legs as the boys charged. Exactly thirty-four seconds later the boys all lay on the ground. Tenten held a kunai to the sandy haired boy's throat and Azami held a dagger to the second boys' throat.

"Pl-ea-se…" The first boy rasped. "Ha-ve m-er-cy."

"Apologize for beating those boys up!" Tenten ordered.

"S-or-ry!" He gasped.

"You apologize too." Azami commanded.

"Sor-ry!" The second boy gasped.

Tenten and Azami released them. "You have exactly seven and a half seconds to get out of my' sight before I slit every one of your' throats." Tenten threatened raising her' kunai.

At the sight of it, the boys howled in fear and stampeded out the door.

Tenten and Azami turned to the two boys who lay on the ground and quickly cut the ropes that bound their' arms.

Gaara shakily got to his' feet. He had several cuts and bruises and a bad ankle, but no serious injuries.

Neji on the other hand clutched his' side in pain when he tried to stand up. He was white as a sheet and blood still streamed from his' mouth, though the flow had lessened somewhat.

Tenten called for help and a guard appeared. The two boys were taken back to their' cell.

When Tenten insisted that both boys, Neji especially, be examined by a physician, the guard told her that there was none.

"What do you mean, there isn't any doctor?" Azami asked. "Who tends to the slaves when there is a cave in or when they get sick?"

The guard shifted uncomfortably. "Uh…well…no one." He answered.

"No one?! But then how do they get better?" Tenten questioned.

"Well…sometimes they don't." The man replied quietly.

"_**WHAT??"**_ The girls exclaimed. "Are you saying that they are just left to die?!"

The guard nodded.

Tenten and Azami exchanged alarmed glances. Each knew what was going threw the other's mind.

"Take us to the person in charge." Azami ordered.

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**Well, I hope you liked it.**

**Remember, reveiws are greatly appreciated. (No flames please.)**

**Yaruhi**


	3. Rescued part 2

"You want to buy them?!" The assistant supervisor, Shoda asked in shock.

"Exactly." Tenten and Azami replied in unison.

"Well I'm sorry, but I do not have the authority to sell them to you. You will have to wait and come back when the supervisor is in." Shoda informed them.

"When will he be back?" Azami asked.

"Not until tomorrow morning." He replied.

"Very well, we shall return then." Tenten said. "But before we leave, I want to see Neji and Gaara and make certain that they are okay." (They found out the guys' names from Shoda.)

Shoda hesitated. "Are you sure that you want to go down there?" He asked. "I can not guarantee your' safety."

"We're sure." They replied.

Shoda sighed. "As you wish." He snapped his' fingers and a guard came forward. "Take the Himes down to the slaves quarter, to cell number 1,489." He instructed.

The guard bowed and said, "Follow me."

He led them out, across a courtyard and into a large, stone building.

The girls followed him as he led them down a steep, twisting stairway, and down a long, filthy corridor, to a large, thick, oaken door.

The guard produced a ring of keys and unlocked the door. He turned to them saying, "Just knock three times when you wish to leave."

They nodded to show that they understood.

The guard opened the door and they stepped inside. The door swung shut behind them.

Tenten and Azami nearly gagged at the terrible stench that filled their' noses. The cell was a ten x ten foot, stone room, into which had been packed at least twenty people. The ground was covered with filthy straw and rats scurried about everywhere. The lighting was dim and it took the girls a few moments too locate their' quarry.

Gaara sat in the far corner of the cell, hugging his' knees to his chest. His' eyes were closed and his' head rested on his knees. Neji lay on the floor beside him, his' body tense and his' breathing labored. His' eyes were closed so the girls assumed that he was asleep. They quietly made their' way to the boys' sides.

Azami touched Gaara lightly on the shoulder and awoke with a start.

"Don't worry, Azami told him. I'm here to help you. I'm Azami by the way. You're Gaara right?"

He nodded.

She smiled and pulled a bottle of antiseptic and some bandages from her' handbag. (Courtesy of Sakura who insisted that you should always carry medical supplies in case of an emergency.) Then she proceeded to gently cleanse and bandage Gaara's numerous cuts.

Tenten knelt on the soiled floor next to Neji and he opened his' eyes and looked at her.

"Hello Neji." She whispered.

He watched her cautiousely.

"My' name is Tenten. How are you feeling?" She asked.

Neji started to sit up, but pain like the hottest fire shot through his' chest and he lay back down again.

_Oh crud! _He thought as blood began to run into his' mouth again.

Tenten saw this and said, "Lie still and try not to do anything that would hurt your' ribs."

She proceeded to lightly press on Neji chest in different places until she had figured out which of his' ribs were broken.

Then she produced some bandages from her' own bag and began to tightly bandage Neji's broken ribs.

All during this time, neither of the boys uttered a single word.

When the girls had finished, they pulled out the meat pies that they had bought from the street vendor earlier that day and held them out to the boys.

Neji and Gaara gazed at the food with wide eyes. In the dungeon they were allowed one meal of watery rice per day. Neither of them had ever even seen a meet pie before. But from the aroma that filled their' nostrils, they could be pretty sure that it would taste good.

"Well? Aren't you going to take them?" Azami inquired.

The boys glanced at one another, and then they slowly reached out and took the offered pies from the girls' hands.

The boys were famished, and they devoured the pies in moments.

The girls were amazed. "Whoa! You _were_ hungry, weren't you?"

Neji and Gaara looked at her oddly.

"What do they feed you in this place?" Azami inquired.

"We are given one bowl of rice per day." Gaara told her.

"_**ONE BOWL OF RICE PER DAY!!" **_The girls exclaimed in astonishment.

Neji and Gaara shot them perplexed looks and nodded.

Tenten and Azami exchanged glances. Each was thinking along the lines of, _We have got to get these boys out of this terrible hell hole! _

* * *

Sakura and Hinata reached the embassy with Sasuke and Naruto. They led the speechless boys up the stone steps to the entrance of the embassy.

Inside the boys gaped at the lavish furnishings and decor. The sheer size of the place was astounding and the entire place was sparkling with cleanliness. Sasuke and Naruto felt filthy next to the spotless furniture.

Hinata and Sakura didn't seem to mind. They hauled the boys up the stairs to the rooms in which they were staying.

Hinata threw open the door to her' room saying, "Welcome to my' temporary abode!"

Naruto cocked his' head to the side in confusion. "Your' what?"

Hinata giggled. "N-Never mind." She smiled and said, "Why don't you go get cleaned up? The washroom is through that door. I'll go find you some clean clothes." She turned and exited the room.

Naruto entered the bathroom. He stopped and stared. It was _**Huge**_!!

The room was spacious, and elegantly decorated. Naruto took a look at the bathtub and shouted, "Yahoo!"

It was the size of a small pool!

Naruto filled it and then sank gratefully into the steamy water…

* * *

Sakura opened the door to her' room and led Sasuke inside. He took in the spacious, luxurious furnishings. The room was decorated in various shades of rose, maroon, and burgundy.

Sasuke stood in the door way and watched Sakura move busily about the room.

When Sakura noticed that Sasuke was still standing in the doorway, she paused and asked, "Sasuke-kun? Is there something wrong?"

He looked at her and shook his' head.

She placed her hands on her' hips and looked at him. "Then why don't you come in?"

Sasuke took two steps forward and then halted again.

Sakura cocked her' head to the side. "What's the matter?"

Sasuke just looked at her and then lowered his' eyes and shook his' head.

Sakura shrugged. "Okay… I'm going to go find you something you can wear to supper. While I'm doing that, why don't you go get cleaned up in the bathroom?" She suggested pointing to a door to his' left.

Sasuke nodded and walked through the door. Sakura sighed and turned to go find Hinata.

* * *

Shikamaru followed Ino into the dining room.

He had bathed and changed into the clothes that Ino had brought him. Now he was going to eat supper with Ino and her' family. Shikamaru was confused as to why his new owner wanted him join her, but he did as he was instructed without question.

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto sat side by side, between Sakura and Hintat, at the long, dining room table. The door opened and everyone looked up to see a girl with a long, ash blond ponytail enter the room followed by a boy with dark hair pulled up into a high ponytail.

"Ino Onee-chan!" Sakura and Hinata chorused.

"Shikamaru?!" Naruto and Sasuke both gasped under their' breath. Shikamaru looked just as surprised as they felt.

"Hey Sakura Nee-chan! What's up Hinata Nee-chan?" Ino greeted her' sisters merrily.

Sakura noticed Shikamaru. "You bought one of them too?" She whispered.

Ino nodded. Aloud she said, "I'd like you to meet Shikamaru."

Sakura and Hinata smiled. "Konichi wa Shikamaru-san."

Then they turned and introduced Sasuke and Naruto to Ino.

Just as they finished, the door opened again, and in stepped Lord Kaemon. Introductions started up all over again.

Finally the chatter died down and Lord Kaemon asked the blessing. Then the meal was served. Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru stared in amazement, their' mouths watering at the sight of the lavish dishes placed before them. There were meets, cheeses, fruits vegetables, and breads ect.

"Where are Tenten and Azami?" Lord Kaemon asked after they had all been seated for a while.

Ino, Sakura, and Hinata shrugged. "We don't know."

At that moment, the door burst open and Tenten and Azami dashed inside.

"Well, speak of the devils." Lord Kaemon said wryly. He eyed his' two breathless daughers. "Where have you two been?"

"Father! We need to speak with you!" They exclaimed in one voice.

* * *

_(Early the next morning…)_

Jiro's eyebrows shot up in amazement. "You want to purchase two more of our' slaves?"

Lord Kaemon nodded. "My' two eldest daughters asked me to buy them, and I told them that I would." He explained.

Jiro let out a sigh. _What is with this family? _He wondered. "Well, Lord Kaemon Sama, I'll sell them to you for the same price as I sold the other three. 214040 yen a piece."

Lord Kaemon nodded. He produced the correct amount of money from within the folds of his' robe. He handed it to Jiro saying, "Have them delivered to the embassy this afternoon."

"As you wish, my' Lord." Jiro replied.

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**Hey everybody!**

**So what did ya think of the third chapter?**

**Remember, reviews are greatly appreciated. (No flames please.)**

**Until next time,**

** This is Yaruhi, over and out!**


	4. Rescued part 3

**Whoa! (Stares at the computer screen in shock) **

**I can't believe how many people like this story! **

**Thanks soooo much for all the reveiws everybody! **

**I really love it when people review. It's soooo helpful and encouraging! **

**You guys rock!! :)**

**Anyway, I hope you like this chappie**

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The door to the cell opened with a loud clang. Gaara raised his' head slightly and saw three guards standing in the doorway. Two of them entered and made their' way over to where he and Neji lay.

One of them nudged Gaara with his' foot and told him to get up. Gaara complied as well as he was able to. His' sprained ankle had swollen during the night, and now throbbed painfully making it difficult to walk.

The second guard reached down, grabbed hold of the back of Neji's tunic, and hauled the injured boy to his' feet.

Chains were locked onto the boys' wrists and ankles, and a metal collar like devise with a chain attached was fastened around their necks. Then they were roughly escorted up the long flight of stairs and outside to a waiting cart.

Neither of them said a word, knowing that talking would earn them nothing more then a slap across the face or a lash across their' backs.

After a half hour, the cart jolted to a halt in front of a huge, stone building, with beautifully engraved pillars and columns. The boys were roughly shoved up the steps by the two slave drivers…

* * *

The door to the main hall swung open and Lord Kaemon looked up from his' conversation with the magistrate.

"Lord Kaemon Sama," The guard addressed him respectfully. "Some men have arrived with the new slaves you purchased."

Lord Kaemon nodded. "Send them in, and tell my' daughters, Tenten and Azami, that I wish to see them."

The guard nodded and left.

The magistrate turned to Lord Kaemon and said, "I think I will leave you to your' business now as I have a few matters to which I must attend."

"By all means, do what you must. I will join you in a bit; this will not take long." Lord Kaemon replied.

The Magistrate rose and exited the room through a side door.

About two minutes later, the main door at the end of the hall swung open again to reveal two, large, burly men shoving two, chained boys ahead of them.

They dragged the boys to the front of the room and flung them down at Lord Kaemon's feet.

Lord Kaemon studied the two boys intently. _So these are the boys that Tenten and Azami were telling me about…_

"Konichi wa Boys. I am Lord Kaemon." He told the bewildered looking slaves.

One of the slave drivers kicked Gaara in the side and shouted. "Bow to his lordship you good for nothing scum!"

Both boys immediately touched their' heads to the floor in a respectful bow.

Lord Kaemon frowned at this treatment. "What are your' names?" He inquired.

"Gaara no Suna, my' Lord." Gaara said softly.

"Hyuga Neji, my' Lord." Neji replied quietly.

The door at the end of the room swung open once more and all eyes turned to the two girls who stepped inside.

* * *

_**Neji's POV:**_

Neji's eyes widened. It's the girls from yesterday! He thought in astonishment. What are they doing here? And why do they look glad to see Gaara and me?

He glanced over at Gaara and saw from the expression on his face that the red haired boy was just as amazed as he was.

* * *

_**Regular POV: **_

Tenten and Azami stepped inside the room and their faces lit up when they saw Gaara and Neji. But their smiles turned to frowns and their' eyes narrowed as the noticed the heavy, shackles on the boys' wrists and ankles and the thick, metal collars that encircled their necks.

"Tenten. Azami." Lord Kaemon spoke up kindly. He loved each and every one of his' five daughters, but he was closest to Tenten and Azami who were the tomboys of the family. They were girls after his' own heart.

The girls turned and smiled at him and came forward to stand beside their father's chair. "Hello father." They greeted him cheerfully.

"Are these the boys you asked me about?" Lord Kaemon inquired.

Both Tenten and Azami nodded.

Neji and Gaara exchanged glances. _What is going on? _Gaara mouthed.

Neji shrugged. _I don't know. _He mouthed back.

The Slave drivers caught the brief exchange and jerked roughly on the metal chains attached to the boys' collars, causing them to choke. "You _will_ behave respectfully in the presence of Lord Kaemon Sama and The Himes Nakamura." One of them snarled.

Tenten and Azami stiffened angrily.

Neji and Gaara struggled for air against the force of the collars pressing against their' throats. This caused the slave drivers to apply even more pressure.

Gaara twisted and was able to get into a position where he could breath more easily. "Let Neji go!" He shouted at the slave driver in desperation. This demand earned him a slap in the face that made him dizzy.

The slave driver tightened his' hold on Gaara's 'leash' and struck him again. "How dare you speak out of turn in Lord Kaemon Sama, and the Himes' presences?!" He snarled.

Neji gasped in an attempt to gulp some oxygen into his' lungs, but to no avail. The world around him began to blur and then he lost consciousness.

Gaara, having obtained a momentary replenishment of his' depleted oxygen supply, was still thrashing about in a frantic effort to free himself of the slave driver's grip.

Suddenly, he heard (he was in a position where he couldn't very well see) the said brute cry out in surprise, and he felt the man's hold on his' "collar" loosen. Gasping for air, he slumped to the floor.

Lifting his' head, Gaara saw what had caused the brute to let go. Azami stood behind the slave driver, the sharpened blade of her' dagger pressed against his throat.

The second slave driver was likewise trapped with the point of one of Tenten's kunai held to his throat.

"That is quite enough!" Azami hissed in a menacing voice. "We do not tolerate such treatement here."

"That's right!" Tenten agreed coldly, pressing her' kunai harder against her' victims' throat. "I suggest that the two of you leave immediately or my' sister and I shall be forced to get rather…shall we say… violent?"

The sisters released the two men who rubbed their' throats uneasily. They turned to Lord Kaemon who eyed them frigidly, and bowed. Then they hastily exited the room.

Lord Kaemon turned to his' two daughters and smiled. "That's my' girls!" He looked over at the two boys. Neji lay, unconscious on the cold floor, and Gaara looked as though he would black out any second.

"Tenten, Azami, why don't the two of you take Neji and Gaara to Yuki-san and have her fix them up." He suggested.

Tenten and Azami smiled and nodded. "_Hai_ father." Azami leaned down and helped Gaara as he stuggle to stand. Then she proceeded to support, and assist him as they moved towards the door.

Unable to carry Neji on account of his' size, Tenten called to one of the guards who carefully picked up the unconscious boy, slung him over his' shoulder, and followed Tenten to the castle apothecary.

* * *

_**Neji's POV:**_

Neji opened his eyes and the first thing that he saw was a pair of dark eyes staring with concern into his' own whitish eyes. His' vision became clearer and Neji realized that the person gazing at him was none other than the Hime, Tenten.

"Neji? Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Tenten asked.

Neji looked about him and saw that he was lying on what appeared to be some sort of hospital bed. Gaara lay on an identical bed a few feet away; the Hime, Azami was whispering softly to him.

"Neji? Can you hear me? Are you feeling okay?" Tenten's soothing voice penetrated his' thoughts.

Neji turned back to the anxious Hime that stood over him. "_Hai, arigato gozaimasu Hime Sama." _("Yes, thank you, Hime Sama.")

Tenten smiled compassionately and, to Neji's astonishment, took a key and unlocked both the shackles from his' wrists and ankles, and the "collar" from around his neck. "Get some rest." She instructed. "Yuki will be here in a moment to see what she can do for you."

Neji nodded and closed his' eyes once more.

* * *

_**Gaara's POV:**_

Azami pulled something from the pocket of her' Kimono. Looking closely, Gaara perceived that it was a key ring. Azami fumbled with the keys for a moment until she found the one she was looking for. She removed a large silver key from the ring and, taking hold of Gaara's wrist, she unlocked the shackle and let it fall to the floor. Azami proceeded to unlock Gaara's other shackles as well as the loathed "collar".

As she removed the collar from about Gaara's neck, Azami felt his' eyes on her. She turned and met his' questioning gaze. "What's wrong Gaara?" She asked.

Gaara looked at her in bafflement. "Why are you removing my' chains?" He asked in a voice so quiet that she could barely make out what it was that he had said.

Azami looked down at the "collar" in her' hand and then back at the perplexed boy. "Do you want them on?" She asked in confusion. "I would assume that they are rather uncomfortable so I took them off."

Gaara cocked his' head and looked at her with an unreadable expression on his' face.

* * *

_**Regular POV:**_

Suddenly the door behind Azami burst open, and an elderly woman entered the room. "Alright! What happened?!" She demanded in a slightly irritated tone. "Jeesh! I take a half hour break and the next thing you know the castle is falling apart!" She snapped.

"Yuki-san!" Tenten and Azami exclaimed as they rushed to embrace the peppery old woman. When people first met Yuki, they assumed she was a bitter, ornery person, but the girls knew that underneath her' tough exterior, she was a good, kindhearted soul.

"All right. All right! You don't have to strangle a person to death do you?!" Yuki barked. But the girls saw the sparkle in her' eye that meant that she was in a good mood. "Well girls, what's the problem?"

Tenten and Azami quickly explained the situation to Yuki who grunted and moved forward to inspect the slightly apprehensive patients…

* * *

Sasuke entered Sakura's room, having just returned from Ino's room where he had been talking with Naruto, and Shikamaru.

His' onyx eyes roamed the room searching for amy sign of his' new mistress. He spotted his' quarry, lying quietly on the plush sofa that stood on the north side of the room. He gazed at her' tranquil, sleeping figure and noticed the soft smile that graced her' rosebud lips.

A glance at the old grandfather clock in the corner of the room told him that it was nearly eleven p.m. He sighed and gently picked her up to take her to her' bed. Sasuke was surprised at how extremely lightweight she was.

He carried her over to her' bed and was about to set her down when she moaned slightly and snuggled into him, leaning against his' chest and letting her' head rest against his' neck. Sasuke froze and stared down at her. He was not used to having anyone this close to him. Very gently he lay her' on the bed and covered her' with one of the richly embroidered, satin quilts. She lay still, sleeping peacefully, her' soft breathing the only thing that let him know that she was alive.

He cocked his' head and studied her. She was odd looking with her' bubblegum-pink hair, but very pretty nonetheless. Her' skin was smooth and light in color. A sweet smile played upon her' lips, which were the perfect shade of pink without the assistance of cosmetics.

He sighed and shook his' head. _Why am I thinking these things? She's my' mistress for heaven's sake! _Pushing the thoughts to the back of his' mind, he turned lay down on the couch where she had been resting just moments ago. He tried to sleep but, tired as he was, it was hours before he finally drifted off.

* * *

Ino awoke in the middle of the night for no apparent reason whatsoever. She glanced around her' room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shikamaru lay on the couch that stood at the foot of her' bed. She smiled at him, sleeping peacefully.

Then, as though he could sense her watching him, His' eyes flickered open.

He noticed her' staring at him and, thinking that she wanted something he inquired, "Was there something you wanted mistress?"

Ino cocked her' head to the side. "What? Oh… no, no I'm fine thank you."

Shikamaru nodded and lay back down but she was still gazing at him. "Uuuuh… mistress? Are you feeling okay?"

She smiled. "Of course Shika-kun. Why do you ask?"

He shook his' head. "No reason. He mumbled. Shikamaru wasn't really sure why he had asked or why he even cared. Something about Ino just got under his' skin and then, for some reason, he couldn't quite thinking about her.

He lay back down and shut his eyes. _Troublesome woman!_

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**Well, I hope you like it.**

**Remember, reviews are greatly appreciated. (No flames please.)**

**Until next time,**

**This is Yaruhi, over and out!**


	5. Trust Me!

Gaara opened his eyes. Early morning light streamed through the window next to the futon on which he lay.

His' vision cleared and he glanced around the empty bed and sounds coming from the bathroom told him that his mistress, Azami, was already up.

Gaara sat up and winced slightly. Although Yuki Sama had treated d his' wounds, it was still quite painful to move, especially with his bad ankle.

He glanced up as the door to the bathroom opened and Azami stepped out. She was wearing a super short, very light weight, black kimono over a pair of black leggings. Her' long, golden hair was secured into a single, thick braid that hung down her back.

She smiled when she saw him. "Good morning Gaara." She greeted him. "Did you sleep well?" He gave a slight nod. "Good. Now, are you hungry?"

He didn't say anything, but as if on cue, his stomach gave a loud growl.

"Well, I guess that pretty much answers my question." Azami grinned causing her to look, ever so slightly, like Naruto. She grabbed him by the hand. "Come on, let's get you something to eat and then we'll see about finding you some decent clothes."

She exited the room with him in tow.

* * *

Pearly eyes opened as Neji awoke. He sat up and, not remembering where he was, he became momentarily alarmed.

A feminine voice spoke behind him. "Oh, good, you're up."

His head snapped about and he came face to face with a girl with dark hair pulled up into twin buns and sparkling brown eyes. Suddenly the events of the past two days came flooding back to him. Lord Nakamura had purchased him and the young woman before him was the Hime, Nakamura Tenten, the eldest daughter of Lord Nakamura and the girl who had defended him twice in the last two days.

Neji quickly lowered his eyes as a sign of respect.

Tenten cocked her' head and studied the young man who lay on her' bed. Because he was injured, Tenten had graciously given up her' bed and slept on the sofa.

"How are you feeling Neji san?" She inquired.

The boy started noticeably at the honorific _"san"_ that she had added to his' name. He shrugged noncommittally but, in reality, his' ribs were killing him. He started to sit up and winced as a sharp bolt of pain shot through his' side.

This reaction did not go unnoticed by Tenten, who quickly knelt beside the bed and picked up a role of bandages from the nightstand. "Yuki said that I should rewrap your' ribs as soon as you woke up." She explained.

Neji nodded and removed his' shirt so that she could change his dressings.

As gently as possible, Tenten proceeded to remove his' bandages and replace them with fresh ones.

Though she tried to suppress it, Tenten couldn't help the slight blush that stole across her' face. He was really pretty good looking and, though Tenten wasn't known for being a crush stricken, girly girl, it didn't mean she was totally immune to attraction.

She finished as quickly as she possibly could and, standing up, she walked over to the dresser where a few pairs of guy's clothing had been neatly folded and stacked.

From this selection she picked out a set of clothes and handed them to Neji. "You can change in the bathroom." She told him, nodding to the open door his left.

He nodded and went in to change without a word.

He reappeared a few moments later, wearing a white jacket over a T-shirt, and a pair of tan pants. Tenten smiled and nodded her' head in approval. She walked up to him and helped him to fasten his long hair back with a string.

She looked up at him and frowned suddenly. "Is your head hurt Neji San?"

He shook his head. "Iie, Mistress."

"Then what's this?" She reached up suddenly and removed the bandage from around his forehead.

Neji went rigid as the bandage came loose, revealing the mark on his forehead.

Tenten saw it and her' eyes widened. "What is that?" She reached up and touched it gently. "Where did you get this mark from Neji San?"

Neji took a deep breath. "I-It's the mark of the caged bird and it was bestowed upon me when I was six."

Tenten nodded. "Oh. Does it hurt you at all?"

Neji shook his head. "Not unless it is…activated."

"Activated?" She inquired.

He looked down. "It can only be activated by a member of my clan. When that happens, it causes the wearer unimaginable pain…or death." The last part was spoken in barely a whisper.

"Oh…" Tenten could see that he was uncomfortable discussing it and so she did not press the subject. But inside, she was furious that people would do such a thing to a member of their own family.

She looked, first down at the bandage in her hand, then back up at him. "Um… just one last question." He looked at her expectantly. "If it doesn't hurt you, then why did you have it bandaged?" she inquired.

A strange look came into his eyes, but all he said was, "When seen by others, it tends to lead to more suffering on my account."

Tenten nodded. "Oh… Would you like something to cover it then?"

When he nodded slightly, she walked over to her dresser and rummaged around the top drawer until she found what she was looking for. Returning to where he stood she pressed something that felt like a strip of material into the palm of his hand. Looking down, Neji saw that it was a dark blue headband. (A/n: No, it is not a Hatai-ate.) He looked back at her.

She smiled. "Would you like some help putting it on?"

He nodded. "If you please, Mistress."

She motioned for him to turn and tied it around his head, effectively concealing the caged bird mark. "There."

He turned back to face her and bowed. "Thank you Mistress."

Tenten frowned. "Neji san, please quit calling me Mistress. It makes me feel so harsh."

He nodded. "As you wish. May I ask what term you would prefer me to use?"

She smiled. "Just call me Tenten like everyone else does."

His eyes widened and he shook his head slightly. "B-But, it would be disrespectful. It is considered extremely impertinent for a slave to call his owner by her' first name." He protested.

Tenten cocked her' head slightly. "Well, I don't mind at all. But if it makes you feel better, I suppose you could call me Tenten Hime, until you become comfortable enough to drop the honorifics. Does that sound okay?"

He hesitated for a moment, and then slowly nodded. "Hai Tenten Hime."

She smiled. "Good. Now let's go get you some breakfast!"

* * *

_**(Hinata's POV :)**_

Hinata glanced over at Naruto who sat on her left side, gulping down his breakfast.

_He sure can eat!_ She thought with a giggle as he took a swig of milk that left him wearing a comical milk mustache._ I wonder what his life thus far must have been like… Obviously it hasn't been very good… He's really sweet. How could someone treat him and the others the way they did? _

She sighed. Then smiled as he took a bite of his waffles and ended up with whipped cream on his nose!

* * *

_**(Normal POV:)**_

Naruto glanced up from his delicious breakfast to find his mistress watching him with a half thoughtful, half amused expression on her' face.

"Is there something wrong with my face Mistress?" He asked.

She giggled and a slight blush spread over her' features. "Well, not unless you count the milk mustache and whipped cream on your' nose."

Naruto cocked his head and peered at his rather warped reflection in one of the steel pots on the table, then burst out laughing! "Wow!" he exclaimed. "I look weird here!"

Before Hinata had a chance to reply, Tenten and Azami entered the room with Neji and Gaara in tow.

"Yo Hinata!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Hi Tenten. Hi Azami." Hinata greeted her sisters.

"Hey Sis!" Azami replied. Then she turned to Gaara and Neji saying, "Please, sit down. From the aroma, I'd say the cook has something good for breakfast this morning."

The boys didn't seem to have heard her. They stood stalk still, staring in surprise at the boy behind Hinata.

"Neji?!" Naruto exclaimed. "Gaara?! You're here too? I can't believe it! I didn't think I'd ever see the two of you again. This is awesome!"

Azami glanced at Gaara whose face registered shock. "I take it you know him?" She inquired.

"Are you kidding? They're like brothers to me!" Naruto told her. "Back at the slave house, the five of us were best friends!"

Tenten smiled. "Cool!" She looked around. "Where's the cook?"

"Oh. She's in the pantry." Hinata told her.

Tenten nodded. "I'll go get her…"

~ * ~

Sakura's jade eyes fluttered open. She sat up and realized she was still wearing her dress from yesterday. _Wait… _she thought._ I don't recall having gone to bed yesterday. The last thing I remember was sitting on the sofa, reading…_ Looking up she saw Sasuke lying on the sofa and quickly realized what must have happened.

She smiled and, getting out of bed, walked over to the sofa. "Kneeling beside the slumbering boy, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes snapped open instantly. He bolted up into a sitting position and looked about wildly before realizing where he was.

"Sorry." Sakura apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Sasuke lowered his eyes.

"Were you the one who put me in bed?" she inquired.

He nodded. "_Hai, Hime sama._"

She smiled. "Well, thank you Sasuke. I guess I dozed off a bit huh?"

"..."

She stood up and walked over to her closet. "So, what would you like to do today?"

"What ever is most convenient for you, Mistress." Sasuke automatically replied, as though he were programmed to respond that way.

Sakura looked over her shoulder at him. "There's nothing I especially want to do today so it's your choice. What would _**you**_ like to do today Sasuke? Isn't there something you would prefer to do?"

He looked at her with guarded eyes. "Slaves have no preferences. I, as all slaves do, want only what my owner wants." He replied stiffly.

Sakura frowned. "Sasuke, you know that's not right. Slave or not, you're still a person; you still have feelings and desires and dreams. You're not a machine. You have opinions and ideas and you have just as much right to them as anyone!

Sasuke shook his head. "Slaves are not permitted to have opinions." There was a bitter edge in his voice. "We say and think only what we are told to think. We are like robots; programmed for our master's enjoyment, nothing more."

Sakura walked over to him and placed her hands gently on his shoulders. She looked him square in the eye and spoke in a firm, yet gentle voice. "Sasuke, listen to me. What you say may have been true in the past, but no longer. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. I won't tell you what to say or think. You have a right to your own beliefs and feelings and I recognize and respect that." She gazed determinedly into his wary, black eyes. "I know you don't believe me yet and I don't blame you, but you will."

Sasuke gazed back at her suspiciously, as though testing her words for deception. Their staring match was interrupted however as the door swung open and Ino burst in followed closely by Shikamaru.

"Forehead!" the blond girl exclaimed. "Come on! Everyone is waiting for you at breakfast! There's a carnival in town and we've all decided to go. You'll come too won't you?"

Sakura smiled. "That all depends on whether or not Sasuke feels like going." She looked over at the young man. "What do you say?"

Sasuke glanced at Shikamaru who only shrugged. He hesitated. He had no clue what a carnival was but did not want to appear stupid by asking, so he said. "I guess so."

Sakura smiled and Ino gave a little cheer. "Awesome! Hurry up. Come on Shika Kun, let's go tell the others!"

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**Hey Everyone!**

**I had a couple of people asking for more SasuxSaku stuff so I tried. I hope you all liked it. Sorry it took me forever to get it posted, this is my busy time of year. A big** '**_THANK YOU!' _to everyone who has taken the time to review on this story.**

**As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. (No flames please.)**

**Until next time,**

**~Yaruhi**


	6. Amusement park part 1

**Yes... I am aware it has been a veritable eternity since I last updated and for that I appologize. (Please don't kill me!)**

**Disclaimer: I think it's pretty well known that Masashi Kishimoto and not I own's Naruto.**

**Claimer: On the other hand... Azami, Lord Kaemon and anyone else, not present in the original manga and anime are mine and mine alone!**

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A half hour later, two convertibles pulled into the carnival parking lot. One was bright yellow, and held Ino, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Naruto. The other was dark red, and held Tenten, Azami, Sakura, and the three ice cubes. (Aka, Neji, Sasuke and Gaara.)

The five girls jumped out of the cars talking animatedly about their favorite carnival rides, while the young men stood silently, (Yes, even Naruto was momentarily stunned into silence) taking in the strange sights around them.

Gaara blinked at the thousands of bright colors and lights that covered everything in sight.

Naruto was staring wide eyed at the hundreds of colorful booths that dotted the park. One booth in particular caught his special attention. _Ramen!_

Neji looked around in awe at the huge, strange looking structures that people were riding on and somehow not falling off. _They're insane!_ He thought as he watched some people ride a roller coaster.

Shikamaru winced at the loud music that was playing all over the park. _Troublesome…_he thought. _All this noise makes it hard to sleep_.

Sasuke glared at the many people milling around in distaste. He didn't like to be in places with a lot of commotion and crowds especially bothered him; of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that the only times he'd ever been in a crowd were the times when he was being put up for sale at an auction.

The boys didn't have too much time to stand about gawking however, for the girls wasted no time in purchasing the carnival bracelets and dragging them inside.

Once inside however, the five girls began to argue about what they wanted to do. Azami wanted to go on the big roller coaster; Tenten couldn't wait to get in line for a ride called "The Screaming Eagle". Sakura, on the other hand, was excited to go ride the water rides, while Ino argued that she wanted to go on the spider. Finally, Hinata wanted to play some of the games at the carnival booths.

"Alright! Alright!" Azami finally exclaimed. "Why don't we split up and then meet over by the picnic tables for lunch. And after that…" she wiggled her eyebrows, "…it's bumper cars time!"

The suggestion won the approval of the group and the boys, having no clue as to where, or even what, anything was followed their respective owners to different sections of the park.

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_**(With Gaara and Azami:)**_

Azami rushed up to a roller coaster with a slightly breathless Gaara in tow. "This is one of my favorite rides." She told him. Gaara glanced up at the monstrous heap of metal bars, cables and poles that twisted and interweaved to form the ride appropriately named "The Twister".

Gaara felt his stomach twist in into a knot and he sweat dropped. "_This _ride?"

Azami nodded. "Yep! It's soooo much fun!"

Gaara gulped. He wasn't really too keen on the idea of hanging upside down several stories above the ground. _I, of all people, would have to get a daredevil for a mistress._ He thought.

Azami noted the uneasy look on Gaara's face and quickly said, "Of course, we don't have to go if you'd rather not."

Gaara looked at her in surprise. Glancing back at 'The Twister', he took a deep breath and shook his head. "No, it's okay, I'll go."

"You're sure?" Azami inquired. He nodded and she smiled. "Okay then, let's go!"

_five minutes later…_

Azami buckled herself in and then showed Gaara how to strap himself in to the seat. The protective bars locked down over them to keep them from falling.

Gaara glanced about him wide eyed. Everywhere he looked, peopled were laughing and joking; no one seemed to share his sense of alarm. Then he felt a gentle hand on his arm. Looking to his right, he saw Azami smiling at him. "Don't worry Gaara. Everyone is scared at first." She reassured him. "But after the first time, you'll see how much fun it really is." He nodded and tried to look unconcerned.

A moment later the ride started. Gaara gripped the bar tightly as the car climbed the steep incline. They reached the top and Gaara felt a surge of panic right before they began the initial descent. Before he had a moment to think they plunged downward. Gaara found himself clinging to the seat for dear life as the roller coaster zipped to and fro, twisting and turning, rising and falling. Then, at the climax of the ride, Gaara felt a rush of exhilaration and his fear was suddenly forgotten. _Wow!_ Gaara thought to himself. _This is amazing!_

The ride finally came to an end and they got off. "Well?" Azami inquired. "What did you think?"

A smile appeared on Gaara's face. Azami cocked her head to the side. It was the first time she had seen him smile. It was a nice change from the wary, suspicious look that he usually wore.

"You were right, Mistress." Gaara murmured. "It was fun."

Azami frowned slightly. "Gaara, please quit calling me mistress. It makes me feel cruel and heartless. Just call me Azami, okay?"

Gaara shot her an undecipherable look but nodded. "Hai, Azami Sama."

Azami noticed that he added the honorific 'Sama' to the end of her name, but decided not to press the matter. He would drop the honorifics when he felt ready.

"Come on!" She exclaimed grabbing his hand. "There's another great roller coaster over this way!"

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_**(With Neji and Tenten:) **_

Neji was silent as he followed Tenten to the back of the line for the "Screaming Eagle". The ride resembled a huge bird's claw. People would sit in the talons, their feet hanging in midair, and the claw would begin to swing back and forth while rotating. Neji watched in awe as the claw swung higher and higher, picking up speed as it went. At it's highest it went straight up so that the people seated in the 'claw' were completely upside-down.

Tenten's voice broke through Neji's thoughts. "Neji? Neji, it's our turn to ride!" He looked up to see that they were, indeed, at the head of the line. He nodded and followed her onto the ride. Tenten showed him how to buckle himself in to insure that he would not fall out. Someone came around and checked to make certain that everyone was securely strapped in, and then it was time for the ride to start. Neji felt his anxiety level mounting as the claw began to swing. Then he felt something touch his hand. Looking down, Neji saw that Tenten had unconsciously taken hold of his hand. Before he had a chance to say anything, the momentum of the ride picked up abruptly and the claw swung up into the air.

Neji felt a thrill shoot through him as the ride picked up speed. Beside him, Tenten let out a whoop of delight.

Neji felt a slight smile tug at his lips. She was so different from his previous owners. Actually, she was crazy! But somehow, he kind of liked that…

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_**(With Shikamaru and Ino:) **_

Ino pulled Shikamaru up into the seat beside her. "What is this thing?" he asked. Ino glanced over at him, her eyebrows arched in surprise. "You know, that's the longest sentence I've heard you say yet." He shrugged. Ino smiled. "This ride is called the Spider. It used to be called the Octopus and I think that was more fitting, but Spider works too."

Shikamaru gazed at the large, black contraption that did indeed resemble an octopus. He and Ino were seated in a bench, located at the end of one of the long, tentacle-like arms of the machine. "Troublesome…" He muttered to himself as he close his eyes.

Suddenly, as though it had chosen to come alive, the Spider began to move, swirling around, flailing its arms about and jolting Shikamaru into sudden and complete awareness. The bench in which he and Ino sat began to spin like crazy! Shikamaru hung on for dear life. Ino, on the other hand, threw her arms up in the air and started laughing her head off. Shikamaru shot her a baffled look. _What is wrong with her? Troublesome woman!_**Okay so... how was it? I know the whole amusement park thing is kind of cliché but it makes it easier to have them bond a bit...**

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**Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated as always. (no flames please.)**

**~Yaruhi**


	7. Amusement park part 2

**I decided that since I made you wait so long I'd give you another chapter. :) I hope you all like it!**

**Disclaimer: Yatta, yatta, yatta... I don't own Naruto!**

**Claimer: I do own the plot line and everything not directly conected with the manga and anime.**

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(With Naruto and Hinata:)

"Yes! Dattebaeyo!" Naruto shouted as the beanbag he threw knocked over the final tin can.

"Nicely done sir." The vendor congratulated him. "Which prize would you like?"

Naruto looked about at the different stuffed animals. "That one." He said, pointing to a large, white, Siberian tiger.

The vendor handed it to him and Naruto turned to and handed it to Hinata. "Here. It's for you." he murmured, suddenly very shy.

Hinata looked at the tiger, then back at him in surprise. A smile slowly spread over her face. "Thank you Naruto, that's very sweet of you."

He grinned revealing a cute dimple. "I-I want to thank you for buying me and getting me out of that place." he whispered.

She smiled again. "You're quite welcome Naruto. I was glad to do it." she held out her hand to him. "What say you and I go and get some ramen?"

Naruto's eyes lit up and his shy demeanor disappeared. "Yahoo! Ramen!!!!!"

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_**(With Sasuke and Sakura:)**_

Sasuke looked uncertainly at the boat in the shape of a hollowed out log with two seats. Sakura noticed his apprehensive expression and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. It's attached to a track under the water so it won't tip over." She climbed in and sat down in the back seat

Sasuke glanced back at the log not at all appearing too certain.

Sakura sighed. "Trust me on this Sasuke. I've been on this thing thousands of times and it's never tipped over."

Sasuke hesitated but then climbed over the side and sank down into the front seat. The ride started and the log began to move down the narrow canal. While Sakura smiled and looked about, Sasuke sat rigidly, clutching the sides of the log with crippling strength. The log went into a dark tunnel and up a steep incline. Abruptly, it began to pick up speed. Sasuke gapped as they shot out of the tunnel and down what resembled a steep waterfall. Sasuke felt his heart leap into his throat, as they seemed to be freefalling down the sharp descent. He felt Sakura's arms go around his mid section as she shouted, "Yaaaaahooooo!"

They reached the bottom and hit the water with a resounding, _**Splash!!!!!**_

Sasuke gasped as the cold water hit him, completely soaking him from head to toe. Turning he saw Sakura. She was soaked to the skin, with her hair plastered to her forehead, grinning from ear to ear. She began to giggle uncontrollably at the stunned look on his face. Her giggle soon developed into a contagious, silvery laugh. Sasuke found himself on the verge of smiling himself. He stood and helped Sakura out of the log and up, onto the sidewalk.

Sakura smiled up at him. "So? How did you like that?"

He shook his head at her. "You people are crazy!"

She grinned. "Yep!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on!" she elbowed him lightly. "Admit it, you had fun didn't you?!"

He looked away. "Hn."

She grinned. "Alright, you need to lighten up… how about some cotton candy!"

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What's that?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards a vendor.

_(Three minutes later…)_

Sasuke doubtfully eyed the fluffy clump of pink cotton that Sakura held out to him.

"Come on Sasuke." She urged. "Just try it for heaven sakes. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it."

Sasuke sighed and, taking a small piece of the stuff from her outstretched hand, took a tiny bite. His expression went from one of skepticism to one of amazement in point-five seconds.

Sakura started to laugh uncontrollably at the expression on his face.

He shot her a puzzled look. "What?"

She took a few gasping breaths to calm herself down. "Just the look on your face. You looked like you were about to have a heart attack."

He quirked an eyebrow at this statement. "Right."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you ever say more than one word at a time."

"…"

"Oh! Great! That's so much better!" she exclaimed in sarcasm.

He smirked slightly. The closest he ever got to a smile.

Sakura glanced at her watch. "We've still got time for a couple more rides before we have to go meet up with the others." She mused. "Which ride should we go on next?" Sasuke shrugged. Sakura shot him an exasperated look. "Will you drop the whole 'I don't care what happens to me' attitude and just pick a ride already?" she snapped.

Sasuke blinked. This girl certainly was confusing. All his other owners would never have given him the choice in any situation; no they made every decision for him. But not this girl, she actually seemed to want him to make choices for himself.

He gazed at her in silent bewilderment for several moments before hesitantly lifting his hand and pointing to a ride entitled, "Rapid Mountain Blast" a ride that greatly resembled the "Matter Horn" ride in Disney Land. Sakura smiled. "Okay, that's a great one; it's really fast!" She grabbed his hand and hauled him off to get in line…

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The ten teens sat at a picnic table, munching on hotdogs, corndogs, pizza and pretzels. Naruto swallowed the final piece of his corndog, which had been smothered in ketchup and mustard. Sasuke and Neji watched in disgust as he wolfed it down. Gaara just shook his head and Shikamaru ignored his friend's repulsive eating habits completely. The girls just smiled and ate their own meals while quietly conversing amongst themselves.

"Are you guys finished?" Ino inquired after a while.

The young men nodded and Azami grinned and pumped her fist into the air. "Alright! Bumper Cars!" The girls cheered and pulled the boys off towards the other end of the park. The boys, having given up on trying to anticipate their mistresses' movements, followed without question.

* * *

Neji buckled himself into the bumper car. He really wasn't sure why this was a ride. Tenten had said that the whole point of this ride was to ram into the people around him. Weird. He shrugged and glanced over at Sasuke. Said boy was listening to Sakura's instructions on how to play. He nodded and Sakura left to find her own car.

Ding! Ding! Ding! The bell sounded and the ride began.

Naruto drove around like a crazy person ramming into everyone in his sight. Gaara and Neji drove normally, just ramming the cars around them. Sasuke actually seemed to be enjoying this ride; it gave him a way to let out some of his frustrations. Even Shikamaru showed surprising interest.

Suddenly, someone hit Gaara, causing him to lose control of his car and go careening Naruto who was driving so fast that his car started to spin. The two of them crashed into Tenten, Azami and Hinata. The five boys froze. _Uh oh!_

But much to their surprise, the girls burst out laughing hysterically. "I'm going to get you for that one Gaara!" Tenten called as she rammed him back.

Gaara looked confused. "Go on Gaara! Get her back!" Sakura urged. Gaara glanced at Azami who was still giggling. "Go Gaara! Ram Tenten!" She called out.

Gaara shook his head in confusion. These girls were really weird. He rammed his car into Tenten's who laughed and in turn rammed into Azami.

_These girls must have taken some form of laughing gas!_ Sasuke thought as the sisters squealed and giggled while ramming one another's cars.

They had so much fun that they rode the bumper cars until the park closed for the night.

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**Okay so I myself didn't really like this chapter too well. I hope to do better on the next.**

**And as usual, reviews are appreciated. I'll try to update again soon.**

**~Yaruhi**


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